On Tuesday morning, an inquest was held at the Council House, before Mr Nodder, deputy coroner, on the body of Mr Thomas Foot, hair-dresser, Fisherton-street, who died on Monday, from the effects of poison.

It appeared from the evidence of a younger brother, that the deceased was taken ill after returning from a walk on Monday morning. Mr Coates was called in, and found him suffering from the effects of strychnine, of which he said he had taken about as much as would cover a threepenny piece, to “steady his hands.” He told his brother that a young man, living near Wincanton, had advised him to take it, but he did not appear to have any idea that such a dose as he had taken (about three grains) was fatal to life.

Mr Coates applied the usual remedies, but without avail, and death resulted about two o’clock. On two occasions, in May and July, the deceased purchased three grains of strychnia of Mr Atkins, Chemist, Fisherton-street, saying he wanted to kill some cats which had destroyed his fowls. Mr Atkins labeled it with a red label, told him it was enough to destroy human life, and cautioned him against leaving any of it about.

The jury returned a verdict of “Death by Misadventure.” The deceased was about 33 years of age, and was said to have been a temperate man.